Town Square

New Arrillaga gift to Stanford tops all others

Original post made
on Jul 1, 2013

Stanford University today announced a new gift of $151 million from Silicon Valley landowner and developer John Arrillaga, a member of Stanford's class of 1960. The largest single gift ever from a living individual will be used over time on a wide variety of projects, the university said.

The successful developers make obscene profits, even accounting for the risks they take, but this individual at least generously is giving back to the community at large, and for that, I say, thank you!

Well, that's mighty generous and should be a nice tax write-off. I suppose it's only appropriate the his obscene development profits go back to their source--unlike Bill Gates whose obscene profits made off our backs are sent in the millions overseas. Meanwhile, children and families in the USA are homeless, bankrupted, and jobless. Nice going guys.

Posted by just wow
a resident of Crescent Park
on Jul 1, 2013 at 2:40 pm

In this case, the motive is clear. Arrillaga is depending on Stanford's complicity as he railroads Menlo Park and Palo Alto into allowing him to erect more monuments to himself. Or has everyone already forgotten about that? His profits on those projects will vastly exceed the pittance he's donating.

If Arrillaga truly wants to make a difference in this community, he could send just a fraction of that $150mm to transform form the Ravenswood district from one of the lowest performing in the state to a district that actually educates kids. They probably wouldn't even object to putting his name on every school!

Stanford is rich and greedy. It doesn't need that money. I stopped sending them my checks long ago.

Posted by Tina Peak
a resident of Downtown North
on Jul 1, 2013 at 7:09 pm

It is Mr. Arrillaga's money to be donated however he wants. Others can donate their money where they want. Comments about his choice of recipient are uncalled for. We all have our own priorities when it comes to who or what we think is most deserving and we are free to put our money towards those causes.

It doesn't make sense to say that the money should go to the lowest performing students at "ravenswood school district". Stanford University vs. Ravenswood? Anyways, giving them money won't make them better students. Even Palo Alto schools can't attract perfect teachers. You really want all of the kindergartners to have Ipads?

Having been around Palo Alto for years, along with attending Stanford football games and interacting with Stanford alumni in general, I believe it is a good thing for the old boys club (hakujin) to give to the new diverse demographic that comprises this world class university.

Posted by businessdecision
a resident of another community
on Jul 2, 2013 at 12:10 pm

Stanford is not treating its undergraduates with respect. JA should forget about it being the Stanford he went to and worry about the world that might result from the University treating its students the way it does now. Wish he could see this.

Posted by Bill Gates philanthropy is better
a resident of Palo Alto Hills
on Jul 3, 2013 at 11:35 am

Stanford raises more money than any other university in the country. It is the richest of all.
Thank you Mr. Arrillaga for giving the rich even more. On behalf of very rich Stanford, and my very rich neighbors, thanks! We don't need it but hey, it's a tax deduction for you.

Posted by Antisocial Flutterby
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 3, 2013 at 2:58 pm

At least Bill and Melinda Gates' philanthropy does not come with strings attached. John Arrillaga always expects carte Blanche from Stanford and the cities of Palo Alto and Menlo Park to do what he wants.

Posted by boscli
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Jul 3, 2013 at 5:40 pm

This is a peculiar and interesting practice of our oligarchy. The very wealthy and privileged giving astronomical sums of money to the very wealthy and privileged in order to get exclusive access that would make them even wealthier.

Only in the USA are those who make huge donations to very wealthy institutions labeled as philanthropists. Anywhere else they are called opportunists.

Posted by Not an issue
a resident of Community Center
on Jul 3, 2013 at 6:38 pm

Bill gates , antisocial butterfly, boscoli, sick of him et al--- arillaga is sponsoring scholarships for 50 students at Stanford. How many scholarships are you endowing?
It is not unusual for rich alumni to give money to their alma maters. BTW, Bill gates has a building named after him at Stanford because he gave a bunch of money.
Seems that many of these negative comments are driven by the hatred and jealousy that some palo alto,residents feel towards Stanford-- when someone/ something is successful, the less talented cannot cope.

Posted by boscoli
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Jul 4, 2013 at 7:50 am

Not an issue:I am a Stanford alum and I am financially secure, so you got that part wrong. If I could afford to donate 151 million dollars I would donate it, for example, to the Ravenswood school district, not to the wealthiest university in the world which is also involved in huge construction projects.

Posted by great moniker!
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 5, 2013 at 10:37 am

Pretty soon, it should be called Arrillaga University. I know the local university is always breathlessly trying to claim to be on a par with that #1 university on the East coast.
I think Bill Gates, who has been mentioned as a fellow philanthropist, in on an entirely different level, and he has quite a structure ensuring meaningful use of his billions, over in Africa and so on. Africa is a super tough challenge (read up on it...) as opposed to lavishing millions on a local, wealthy institution.
Real research to meet real needs and make an impact instead of vanity and power. Bill Gates turned out to be quite a sensible guy.

Posted by Not an issue
a resident of Community Center
on Jul 5, 2013 at 2:18 pm

Great moniker-- Stanford is better than Harvard without a doubt . What goes on at Stanford is " real research to meet real needs". Note the number of Nobel prize winners and other distinguished alumni from Stanford. And you should read up on what happens to quite a bit of money that is sent to Africa
[Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]

Posted by businessdecision
a resident of another community
on Jul 5, 2013 at 4:51 pm

O.K., thanks.

We probably need to see that Stanford is afraid to turn big donors down. Understandably afraid. Then there's the fact that the type of person who makes that much money is not the type Stanford really needs (but they can't see that).